Apparatus for printing, punching, and applying closure blanks



Oct. 10, 1939. G, w BOOTH 2,175,338

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING, PUNCHING, AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Filed July24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwumtoo G. W. BOOTH Oct. 10, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING, PUNCHING, AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Filed July24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 10, 1939. G. w. BOOTH 8 APPARATUS FORPRINTING, PUNCHING, AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Filed July 24, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 3 G'eorye 20. 600% G. W. BOOTH Oct. 10, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING, PUNCHING, AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Filed July24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Gummy G. w. BOOTH 2,175,338 APPARATUS FORPRINTING, PUNCHING, AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Oct. 10, 1939.

5 sneets sneet 5 Filed July 24, 1935 Geofge Z 500% s W MWW MR wNNPatented Oct, 10, 1939 warren STATES PATENT car es APPARATUS FORPRINTING, PUNCHING; AND APPLYING CLOSURE BLANKS Application July 24,1935, Serial No. 32,950

21- Claims.

, The present invention relates to apparatus for printing and punchingclosure discs and the like from a blank of suitable material, thematerial being preferably in strip form. As incidental to the printingoperation, the apparatus may include drying'means so that smearing ofthe ink in the subsequent operations will be prevented. The apparatusmay also include-means for coating with wax or the like one or bothsides of the material. v

The invention, while not limited thereto, is particularly useful in theproduction of closure discs as disclosed, for example, in my UnitedStates Patent No. 1,956,217, granted April 24, 1934. Such discs may havea slight central offset and for the production of this offset, thepresent apparatus may include suitable forming means.

Desirably, also, the new mechanism may include means for receiving andapplying the discs as they are produced. a

While the invention relates. particularly to apparatus for carrying outa succession of operations such as mentioned above, novelty resides alsoin sub-combinations and elements of the whole. Further, it should beunderstood that I use the term printing herein in no excluding senseunless expresslyqualified, since mechanism for embossing or the like maybe substituted for the printing mechanism without change in generalprinciple.

In order that the invention may be thoroughly understood, I have shownin the accompanying drawings, by way of example, a practical embodimentthereof. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the new apparatus partly in verticalsection;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1:

Figure 4 is an elevation of-the apparatus as seen from the left ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the apparatus as seen from the right ofFigure 1;

Figure 6 shows a detail in elevation;

Figure 7 is a plan. view of a strip of material shown as havingundergone the printing and punching operations;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of apparatus comprisingprinting means, diiying means, coating means, forming means, punchingmeans, applying means and feeding means for strip material;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the strip shown in Figure 8 locating thevarious apparatus mentioned; and

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic cross section of a disc as produced by theapparatus of Figures 8 and 9. 5

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 to '7, referencenumeral l0 designates a standard which at its upper end is provided withlaterally extending vertical ribs I I and I2, the standard beingprovided with a vertical recess l3 be- 10 tween the ribs. The forwardfaces of ribs II and I2 are in the same plane and have secured theretovertical guide strips II and [5 whose adjacent edges are parallel, thestrips projecting toward each other beyond the lateral walls of therecess I3. An elongated, substantially rectangular block or slide l6 haslateral grooves l1 and I8 in which are engaged the adjacent portions ofthe strips l4 and I5 so that the slide is guided for purely verticalmovement. 2

Referring particularly to Figure 3, a rotary shaft I9 is journaled inthe upper. end of the standard l0 behind slide l6 and in perpendicularrelation thereto, this shaft, in the operation of the machine,. beingcontinuously driven from any suitable source of power. The reduced endof shaft I 9 adjacent slide I6 has secured thereon a crank web 20 whichcarries a pin 2|. Slide I6 carries a pin 22 whose axis is in the samevertical plane as the axis of shaft l9 and pins 2| and 22 are connectedby a link or pitman 23. It will be understood that when shaft I9 isrotated slide it is vertically reciprocated through the describedconnections. v

A yoke-shaped bracket 24 projects horizontally in front of slide I6 and,as here shown, is integral with a pair of parallel flanges 25 and 26which are secured against the outer faces of strips I4 and I5 and clearof slide l6 so as not to interfere with the movement of the latter. Attheir lower extremities, flanges 25 and 26 have integral frontwardlyextending arms 21 and 28 which, at their extremities merge into ahorizontal platen or table 29, this platen being of a width determinedby the widthof the strip upon which the apparatus is designed tooperate. The platen 29 extends a substantial distance to the sides ofthe standard III. In front of slide IS, the platen is provided with arecess open toward the latter and generally designated at 30, Figure 3,the side walls of this recess being parallel in the planes of theparallel adjacent edges 21' and 28 of arms 21 and 28, these side wallsbeing denoted by the reference numerals 3| and 32, Figure 1, the outerrectilinear wall of the recess. normal to the edges 3| and 32, beingdesignated by the reference numeral 33, Figure 3.

The top surface of platen 29 is uniplanar, except that its left handportion, Figures 1 and 2, is provided with marginal shoulders 34 and 35spaced apart substantially the width of the strip 36 to serve as lateralguide means for the latter. These shoulders preferably extend up to theedge 3 I, Figure 1, of the platen recess above described and are ofslightly greater height than the thickness of strip 36.

To the right of recess 38 the table is provided with a transverselyextending arcuately undercut recess 31, whose transverse extent isslightly more than the width of strip 36. To the right of recess 31, theplaten is provided with an end recess 38 which has a width slightlygreater than the width of strip 36. The end wall 39 of the recess isdownwardly rounded.

At its outer extremity, yoke 24 is provided with a vertical bore whoseaxis intersects the central longitudinal line of strip 36 as guided byshoulders 34 and 35. In this bore is received the upper threaded end ofa stud 48 and retained, with possibility of vertical adjustment, bymeans of nuts 4| and 42. The stud has a lower threaded end 43 surmountedby an integral abutment shoulder 43, the end 43 being passed through acentral aperture in a square plate 44 and threaded into an axial bore ofa cylindrical male die 45. Plate 44 is clamped between the die andshoulder 43. The lower plane face of die 45 lies above the top plane ofplaten 29 a distance only slightly greater than the thickness of strip36.

An externally square female die 46 underlies plate 44 and has a centraldownwardly flared through opening 41 whose upper edge is of a diameterto cooperate with the die 43 and is centered relative to the latter. Die46 is slidably guided by the walls 3|, 32 and 33 of recess 38, the frontand rear portions of the top surface of die 46 being slightly shoulderedas at 48 and 49 to provide a trackway normally in direct continuation ofthat provided by shoulders 34 and 35 of the platen.

Studs 58, 5|, 52 and 53 are fixed in the comers of die 46 and projectupwardly with a sliding fit through apertures in the corners of plate44, the upper ends of the studs being threaded and provided above plate44 with lock nuts 54. Interposed between die 46 and plate 44 is astripper plate 55 which has a central circular opening in which thelower portion of die 45 is slidably received. The stripper plate, whichis square, as plate 44, is provided in its corners with openings whichreceive studs 58 to 53 with a sliding fit, and interposed between plates44 and 55 are compression springs 56. These springs normally hold thestripper plate against the top of die 46 and the latter with its uppercutting edge below the cooperating edge of die 45 a distance onlyslightly greater than the thickness of strip '36. The proper adjustmentis of course obtainable through adjustment of nuts 54. The trackwayconstituted by the top surface of die 46 between shoulders 48 and 49 isin substantially flush continuation of the trackway provided by theplaten and shoulders 34 and 35 when nuts 54 abut the top of plate 44.

Secured to the lower portion of slide I6 is a carrier 51 which supportsa capping head 58 and a magazine 59, the latter being a cylindricalcontainer with its upper open end immediately below opening 41 of die46. The carrier, capping head and magazine may be of exactly the sametype as disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,956,218, issued April24, 1934, to George J. Huntley and Harry A. Han, and are so shown. Itwill be understood that a packaging tube or other receiver may be usedinstead of the illustrated capper if the discs are not to be immediatelyapplied.

Slide I6 also has secured to its lower portion flanges 68 and 6| of ayoke 62 which embraces carrier 5'! and magazine 59 and directlyunderlies die 46. For the sake of rigidity, the arms of the yoke aresecured also to the carrier 51, as indicated.

A pair of arms 63 and 64 have flanged lower extremities secured on topof the left hand ends of shoulders 34 and 35, Figure 2, and at theirupper extremity support a shaft 65 which carries a roll of the stripmaterial 36. Arms 63 and 64 also provide journal portions for the shaft66 of a roller 6'! under which strip 36 is guided to the platen track.

To the right of roller 61, a pair of standards 68 and 69 are secured ontop of shoulders 34 and 35, these having vertically slotted upper endsslidably receiving bearings 18 and II in which is journaled the shaft I2of a printing roll I3. Cap plates I4 and I5 bridge the slotted ends ofpedestals 68, 69 and have threaded therein adjustable abutment screws I6and TI between the lower ends of which and the bearings I8 and II areinterposed compression springs as at I8, Figure 1. The bearings, shaftI2 and printing rolls I3 are thus yieldingly urged downwardly toward theplaten. Pedestals 68 and 69 have arms extending in the longitudinaldirection of the platen and carrying upwardly extending links in whichare journaled inking rollers I9 and 88, tension springs connecting thelinks above the rollers so that the latter are yieldingly held againstthe printing roll.

Inasmuch as it is desired to print on spaced portions of strip 36, theprinting roll is provided with a plurality of printing portions or pads8| spaced about its periphery.

Shaft 12 of the printing roll has fixed thereon a pinion 82 whichengages an idler 83 therebelow, the idler being journaled on a studprojecting from pedestal 68. Idler 83 is engaged by a pinion 84 fixed ona shaft 85 whose ends are journaled in a bearing 86 secured beneath theplaten and a bearing 81 secured to rib II. A pinion 88 loose on shaft 85is. adapted to drive the latter, through suitable pawl and ratchetmechanism, in a counterclockwise direction, so that through pinions 82,83 and 84 the printing roll will likewise be driven in acounterclockwise direction, Figure 1.

Positioned in recess 31 is a feed roller 89 fixed on a shaft 98 which isjournaled in bearings 9| and 92 secured beneath the platen and in ahearing 93 secured to rib I2. A cooperating feed roller 94, immediatelyabove roller 89 is fixed on a shaft 95 journaled in bearings 96 and 91fixed to the top of the platen. Shafts 98 and 95 have pinions 98 and 99fixed thereon respectively, these pinions being of the same size andmutually engaged. Loose on shaft 98 is a pinion I88 which has a radialflange I8I carrying a pivoted pawl I82 and a pawl spring I83. Pawl I82cooperates with a ratchet I84 fixed on shaft 98. By means of this pawland ratchet connection, shaft 98 may be driven only in a clockwisedirection, Figure 1, shaft 95 being simultaneously driven in acounterclockwise direction through pinions 98 and 99. 75

, tively movesthe same.

The rollers 89 and 94, being fixed on their shafts, are driventherewith. The same pawl and ratchet mechanism, reversed as to drivingdirection, is interposed between pinion 88 and shaft 85.

Flanges 6D and 6|, Figure I, have laterally projecting arms I05 and IE5to the extremities of which are secured the upwardly extending racksIII! and I08 whose teeth are adapted to engage pinions 88- and I00,respectively. Shaft 65, Figure 1, is removable and insertable throughthe opening of the spool I09 on which strip 36 is wound to support thesame, as shown. The strip is pulled under guide roller 61, printing rollI3 and between dies 45 and 46, thelatterspaced portions of the strip andthe strip will bepulled through just far enough to exactly center one ofthese portions beneath die 45. Assuming slide I6 to move upwardly uponinitiation of rotation ofshaft I9, theyoke 62, which liesjust below die46 in the normal lowermost position of the latter, will move the die.upwardly to the position shown in Figure 1,'so that a circular blankwill be struck from the disc. 1 The strip is at rest during thisoperation. l l

The punched out disc falls into magazine 59 and as the slide andcarrier. 5] move downwardly, the disc feeding mechanism will be placedin readiness to feedthe disc to the capping head, the feeding operationoccurring as the carrier 51 travels upwardly,-all as described intheHuntley .and Rau patentbefore mentioned. No. cap

'will be applied onthisfirst, downward movement of the-head but onsucceeding downward movements caps will be applied to bottles, as at. II0,

moved into register with the head.

Since upon downwardmovement of the slide I6, yoke .62 has moved awayfrom die 46, the latter and the stripper. .plate .55 will be lowered bythe springs 56 so that thestrip will be cleared from die 45 forfreemovement therebeneath.

As slide I6 rises, racks I01 and I08,-w hich are in engagement withpinions 88 and I00, will rotate the same and therewith the printing rolland the feed rollers. such that the printing roll- .will bedriven at aperipheral speed the same as-the speed, at which strip 36 is fed by thefeedrollers. As upward movement of the slide continues, the teeth of theracks move out of engagement with pinions 83 and I00 so that drive ofthe feed rollers and the printing roll is interrupted before yoke 62comes into engagement again with die 46. g The feeding range .of theracks issuch that a new printed portion of the strip will be broughtinto exact registerwith die 45 andstrip 36 will be at rest when yoke 62,againengages die 45 and opera- Thus, all movements of the-machine arederived ifrom, the, reciprocatingslide I6- .As the slide-goes ,down,- acontainer capped and as it,

moves upwardly the stripis fed and printed and alblank is punched..Sinca theprinting roll-is urged against-strip .35, it;. cou1d .beoperatively rotated merelyby thestrip asthe. latter is pulled along theplaten. Consequently, the positive The gearing ratios are drive for theprinting roll may conceivably be omitted under some circumstances but toprevent slippage of the strip relative to the roll which might occur dueto inertia of the latter, I prefer to provide the positive drive asshown.

In Figure 7, two spaced printed portions are indicated at I II on thestrip 36 in advance of the printed portion II2 which is assumed to be atthe punching station, reference numeral II 3 indicating the shear line.Printed discs have already been punched where the openings H4 appear.

The strip material is of thin ductile metal and preferably has a topfacing of paper or the like so as to absorb the ink quickly and preventsmearing. The strip may also have a bottom facing of sealing materialsuch as paper if desired. However, the invention is not limited as tothe makeup of the strip and a metal strip may be directly printed upon,particularly where the strip has an eggshell finish and a quick dryingink is used.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have indicated apparatus for carrying outoperations in addition to those above described. In these figures, it isassumed that it is desired to produce a cap of the form indicated inFigure 10 and designated by the reference numeral I20. Thiscap,while-substantially flat, has a slight upward central offset forming"lower shoulders which are adapted to position the cap accurately on thecontainer to be capped.

Reference numeral I2I designates a roll of strip material which may beassumed to be composed of a metal strip of suitable gauge faced on bothsides with paper or the like. As shown in Figure 9, the strip is of awidth to enable two series of'discs to be struck therefrom. Referencenumeral I22 designates a printing roll such as hereinbefore described,except that it is of a width to accommodate two series of printing pads,a cooperating platen being shown at I23. In order to insure drying ofthe ink, particularly where the strip includes no top paper facing, I

provide a drying chamber I24 into which the strip is drawn immediatelyafter the printing operation. This chamber may be heated in any suitablemanner, as, for example, by-an electric grid as indicated at I25. l

Following the drying chamberv are a pair of rollers I26 and I2! arrangedabove and below thestrip to contact both surfaces of the latter andsupplied from reservoirs I28 and I29 with a fluid coating substance suchas wax. Rolls I26 and I2'I may have electric heating coils I26 and I21therein. They are preferably geared together in the manner of feed rolls89 and 94 hereinabove described and may be positively driven exactly asthe latter. The printing roll I22 may be conveniently driven from rollerI25 Inthe operation of this forming mechanism, dies,

I3 I and collars I 34are broughttogether to gripthe strip of material,each of these members being preferably mov-edso that the. strip will.not be deflected from its prescribed plane .of movement.

have cir-' After the strip has been clampedinthis :man-v ner, dies I32are moved upwardly to form offsets in the strip as shown at I35. Themembers are then returned to the illustrated relation so that the stripis freed for feeding. These forming devices may be generally as shown inmy United States Patent No. 1,956,212, granted April 24, 1934, althoughwith the dies reversed in position, since in the present instance thecentral portion of the discs must be upwardly offset in order to beprinted upon.

Following the forming dies are two sets of punching dies I36 and I31which may be of the same general design as those described with reference to Figures 1 to 7, dies I36, however, having cavities for thereception of the offsets I35. The vertical position of dies I36 is suchas to permit the offsets to move thereunder without interference. At I38is indicated a receiver which may be associated with a capping head inexactly the same manner as hereinabove described or it may be merely inthe form of a cylindrical tube for the packaging of the discs. The feedrolls are indicated at I39 and I40 and may be driven as the rolls 89 and94 of the first embodiment.

It will be understood that the feed rollers I39 and I40 are drivenintermittently and rollers I26 and I2! may conveniently be of the samesize as the feed rollers and similarly driven, their motion beingimparted to the printing roll I22 in suitable ratio. The punchingapparatus and the forming apparatus are operated while'the strip is atrest, the movable die I31 being operated, for example, by means such asyoke 62 of the first embodiment. The relative spacing of the printing,forming and punching devices and the extent of each feeding movement aresuch that printed portions are brought into exact register with theforming devices and offset portions are brought into exact register withthe punching devices upon each feedingmovement of the strip.

In Figure 9, the printed portions of the strip are designated at I, the:formed portions at I35, the shear lines at I42, and the openings fromwhich the discs have been struck at I43.

When the strip is faced with paper or the-like, the drying operation maybe unnecessary and, accordingly, the heating unit I25 may be cut off.The arrangement is also preferably such that the coating rolls I26 andI121 and-the forming dies I3I and I32 may be rendered inoperative ifdesired. In printing on metal, the coating rollers, one or both, may berendered inoperative by removing the coating substance from them andtheir associated reservoirs. In other words, the arrangement ispreferably such that of the drying, coating and forming devices, anyoneor any two or all may be thrown out of operation. They are placed in orout of operation in accordance with the requirements of any particularjob.

The printing pads may conveniently be of rubber suitably secured to theprinting rolls and they may be of a size to print an area of the fulldimension of the discs to be punched or the printing may be otherwisedistributed or localized with respect to the disc areas. The formingdies, furthermore, may be designed to produce other patterns than thatshown. For example, an annular offset, illustrated in my patent firstmentioned, may be produced.

The invention as described is of course susceptible of other variationsas to form, arrangement of parts, etc.,.and, accordingly, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the illustrative disclosureherein, but only as in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on spaced portions of the strip,means for punching the printed portions from the strip as closureblanks, means for applying the closure blanks to containers. saidlast-named means comprising a reciprocable slide, said punching meanscomprising a movable die separate from the slide, and means carried bysaid slide for operatively moving said die.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on the strip at intervals, meansfor punching the printed portions from the strip as closure blanks,means for applying the closure blanks to containers, said last-namedmeans comprising a reciprocable head, and means movable with said headfor operating said feeding mechamsm.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on the strip at intervals, meansfor punching the printed portions from the strip as closure blanks,means for applying the closure blanks to containers, said last-namedmeans comprising a reciprocable head, and means movable with said headfor operating said printing mechanism.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on the strip at intervals,

means for punching the printed portions from the strip as closureblanks, means for applying the closure blanks to containers, saidlast-named means comprising a reciprocable head, said punching meanscomprising, a movable die, and means movable with said head foroperatively moving said die and for operating said feeding mechanism.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on the strip at intervals, meansfor punching the printed portions from the strip as closure blanks,means for applying the closure blanks to containers, said last-namedmeans comprising a reciprocable head, said punching means comprising amovable die, and means movable with said head for operatively movingsaid die and for operating said printing mechanism.

6.'Apparatus of the class described comprising feeding mechanism for astrip of material, means for printing on the strip at intervals, meansfor punching the printed portions from the strip as closure blanks,means for applying the closure blanks to containers, said last-namedmeans comprising a reciprocable head, said punching means comprising amovable die, and means movable with said head for operatively movingsaid die and for operating said feeding and printing mechanisms.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosure discs from a piece of suitable material, said means comprising amovable die, a reciprocating head for applying in one direction ofmovement said discs to containers, and means movable with said head foroperatively moving said die during movement of the head in the otherdirection.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosure discs from a strip of material, said means comprising a movabledie, a reciprocating head for applying in one direction of movement saiddiscs to containers, means movable with said head for operatively movingsaid die during movement of the head inthe other direction, feedingmeans for said strip, and means movable with the head for actuating saidfeeding means during movement of said head in said other direction andprior to the operative movement of said die.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a platen, feed rollersfor pulling a strip of mate rial along said platen, a printing roll,said strip being engaged between said printing roll and said platen,said printing roll having printing portions spaced around its peripherywhereby to print on spaced portions of said strip as the strip is fed,punching means arranged between said 'feed rollers and printing roll andoperative to punch the printed portions from the strip, said punchingmeans comprising a movable die, a reciprocable capping head for applyingto containers discs 'struck from said strip by said punching means,means for imparting operative and return movements to said head, andmeans for successively actuating said feed rollers to feed the strip andoperatively moving said movable die during the return movement of saidhead.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising a platemfeed rollers forpulling a strip of material along said platen, a printing roll, saidstrip being engaged between said printing roll and said platen, saidprinting roll having printing portions spaced around its peripherywhereby to print on spaced portions of said strip as the strip is fed,punching means arranged between said feed rollers and printing roll andoperative to punch the printed portions from the strip, said punchingmeans comprising a. movable die, a reciprocable capping head forapplying to containers discs struck from said strip by said punchingmeans, means for imparting operative and return movements to said head,and means movable with said head during the return movement of thelatter for successively driving. said feed rollers to feed the strip andoperatively moving said movable die.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a platen, feed rollersfor pulling a strip of material along saidplaten, a printing roll, saidstrip-being engaged between said printing roll and said platen, saidprinting roll having printing portions spaced around its peripherywhereby to print on spaced portions of said strip as the strip is fed,punching means arranged between said feed rollers and printing roll andoperative to punch the printed portions from the strip, said punchingmeans comprising a movable die, a reciprocable capping head for applyingto containers discs struck from said strip by said punching means, meansfor imparting operative and return movements to said head, and means forfirst actuating said feed rollers to feed the strip and driving theprinting roll and then operatively moving said movable die during thereturn movement of said head. i

12. Apparatus of the class described comprls ing means for feeding astrip intermittently,

means for successively punching blanks from said strip, a reciprocatingmember, and means driven by said member in one direction of movement foroperatively actuating the first one 01' said means to feed the strip andthen the other of said means to punch a blank from the strip.

13. Apparatus of the class described comprising intermittently operativefeeding mechanism for a strip of material, means for printing on spacedportions of the strip, means for forming the strip to provide offsetscentered on the printed portions of the strip, and means for punchingthe printed and offset portions from the strip.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures f rom a suitable piece of material, said means including upperand lower coacting dies of which the latter is hollow, and a cappinghead beneath said die, the punched closures dropping through said hollowdie for direction to said capping head.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures from a suitable piece of material, said means including ahollow bottom die, a reciprocating capping he'ad beneath said die, thepunched closures dropping through said die to be directed to saidcapping head, and means for operating said punching means during thereturn movement of said head.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures from a suitable piece of material, said means including ahollow bottom die, a reciprocating capping head beneath said die, thepunched closures dropping through said die to be directed to saidcapping head, and means moving with said head for operating saidpunching means during the return movement of said head.

17. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures from a suitable piece of material, said means including ahollow bottom die, and a capping head beneath said die, the punchedclosures dropping through said die to be directed to said capping head,said head having closure applying instrumentalities at its lower end anda magazine positioned to directly receive the punched closures from thehollow die and adapted to hold a plurality of the punched closures.

18. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures from a suitable piece of material, said means including ahollow bottom die, a reciprocating capping head beneath said die, thepunched closures dropping through said die to be directed to saidcapping head, and means for operating said punching means during thereturn movement of said head, said head having closure applyinginstrumentalities at its lower end and a magazine positioned to directlyreceive the punched closures from the hollow die and adapted to hold aplurality of the punched closures.

19. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for punchingclosures from a suitable piece of material, said means including upperand lower coacting dies of which the latter is hollow, a magazine towhich the punched closures pass through said hollow die, and closureapplying means to which the closures are passed singly from saidmagazine as required for application.

20. Apparatus of the class described comprising intermittently operativefeeding mechanism for a strip of material, means for printing on spacedportions of the strip, means for forming the strip to provide ofisetscentered on the printed portions ofthe strip, punching means, thefeeding steps being of such extent as to bring a previously printed andoliset portion of the strip into position to be punched from the stripby said punching means, and means for actuating the punching means whilethe strip is at rest.

21. Apparatus of the class described comprising a platen, feed rollersfor feeding a strip of material along said platen, a printing roll, saidstrip being engaged between said printing roll and said platen, saidprinting roll having localized printing portions equally spaced aroundits periphery whereby to print on spaced portions of v ister with thepunching means and for concomitantly positively driving said printingroll intermittently, and means for actuating said punching means duringthe intervals when the strip is at rest to punch the printed portionsfrom 5 said strip.

GEORGE W. BOOTH.

